Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I assure the Deputy there is no lack of respect for fishermen from me or the Government. In fact, I massively respect the work they do, the challenging role they have, the daily ordeal and challenge of fishing in what can be very difficult and dangerous seas, and the contribution they make to our economy nationally and to coastal communities in particular. I have backed them since my appointment and will continue to back them in every way I possibly can, whether that be through investment in their sectors, in harbours and piers, or in processing and adding value.

The Deputy knows as well as I do the massive challenge we have in regard to Brexit. We see that in Northern Ireland in the ongoing challenges around the Northern Ireland protocol. It is not easy and nowhere near as easy as it would have been pre-Brexit, when all of the British fishing waters were part of the European waters. As the Deputy knows, one third of our fish is caught in British waters. If we had not had a deal on Brexit, we would have been blocked from all of those waters, not just Rockall. We would not have been able to go near Rockall and we would not have been able to go near any of the waters around Rockall in the event of a no-deal outcome because Rockall sits within British waters.

The issue at stake here is whether Britain can apply a 12-mile exclusive zone. Under no circumstances do we accept its claim on that because Rockall is in an uninhabited island. Arbitration could take years potentially. We want to try to resolve this and the Minister, Deputy Coveney, and I are working closely to try to do so as quickly as possible. As the Deputy knows, it is not easy and the experience regarding the protocol and so on speaks to the same challenge we face here.

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